Gaining weight...???

[Designatedbiker]

I've just started riding a few months and have been riding longer distances (min. 25+ miles) and climbing higher and steeper hills. I don't pig out before the ride and eat protein after (red meats and fish).

I feel more energetic and my stomach feels tighter and love handles becoming smaller, but I'm actually gained 2 lbs!?

I'm confused as to what I might be doing wrong

[Nick209]

Building muscle?

[MattTuck]

Riding does increase appetite. You could be eating more, losing fat and adding lean muscle.

If you're concerned with losing weight, look into a program like myfitnesspal.com, livestrong food tracker, or fitday. If you are accurate and consistent about inputting what you eat, you'll figure out where the calories are coming from.

[John H.]

Increased blood volume?
Increased glycogen storage?
Eating for recovery?
All of these can make you heavier.
I actuallly tend to weigh less when I am not training.

[Louis]

Get a Tanita Link Here (http://www.tanita.com/en/products/184-catId.520093811.html) body composition scale / monitor.

It will allow you to track what's happening as you loose fat and gain muscle.

[ctcyclistbob]

Building muscle?

+1. Muscle has a greater density than fat, so while your body may be losing volume, if you have more muscle now you can weigh the same or more.

If that is the case it's not a bad problem to have as your body composition (i.e. body fat %) will have improved. Can you check your body composition along with weight?

[Ralph]

This may go against what some of you do but......whenever I'm on a ride more than 20-25 miles....which is most rides I do....usually doing 30-40.....I eat a little something like 2-3 whole wheat fig bars....around the 15-25 mile mark. This helps control my hunger and helps me not eat large amounts after a ride. I believe I eat less over all when I snack on a ride. And...for sure I ride stronger toward the end.

[MattTuck]

Ralph, that seems like a pretty small amount of calories given the distance.

There is an entire field of exercise physiology related to eating as it applies to exercise. For maximum performance, you want to keep the tanks somewhat full. This produces maximum output at the time and the higher performance leads to better adaptation gains after the ride (because the fuel allows you to push harder and thus overload more).

If your goal is to lose weight and you're less concerned with optimal training, I think you should eat as little as you can get away with.

[Ralph]

Ralph, that seems like a pretty small amount of calories given the distance.

There is an entire field of exercise physiology related to eating as it applies to exercise. For maximum performance, you want to keep the tanks somewhat full. This produces maximum output at the time and the higher performance leads to better adaptation gains after the ride (because the fuel allows you to push harder and thus overload more).

If your goal is to lose weight and you're less concerned with optimal training, I think you should eat as little as you can get away with.

Thanks for the comment. I always start a ride after a good breakfast and that's my goal....to eat as little as possible during the rest of the day (and still have a beer in afternoon)....I want to lose about 15 lbs. I'm 5' 10" and weigh about 165. Want to get to about 150. So want to curb appetite.

Back to OP's question.....Sometimes I think you have to eat a little to keep from eating a lot after a ride. While you may be eating well, maybe you're eating too much.

[Designatedbiker]

Thanks for all the great responses and suggestions everyone. I actually eat cereal for breakfast before riding and a power bar after to control hunger. Then I would eat some steak, no potatos or sides so I'm not overloading and I don't drink soda at all. I think you guys are right about muscle building. I feel my abdomen naturally contracted all day as though Im sucking in my gut. Feel great and I think my Tshirts look better on me even though I gained weight